Lets talk about easy recoiling youth Turkey loads

Me n my 7 yo are sitting in the blind as I type wrapping up the youth deer hunt for the year (357 maximum encore) and its turning out that our favorite deer hunting spot is also absolutely infested with turkeys.

So we're both excited to do some gobbler busting come spring season. Wich brings me to the question of loads.

I have a 12/20 and 410 shotgun. But the 12 is by far the best suited to the kid as its a encore Turkey barrel for the same platform he deer hunts with. It offers the best fit for him too with its m4 style stock. My other smaller gauges are both fixed stock adult guns.

So for now I'd like to focus on getting recoil to manageable levels for the 12 if possible. I have other means to reduce recoil too for the encore so please lets just focus on putting me togeather a short list of 12ga loads to test.

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I would try some 1 1/4 ounce #5 or #6 copper or nickle plated loads in the 12 gauge and keep the shots to 30 yards or so. I think Federal and Winchester both make "pheasant" loads that should work. Make sure you pattern them to see how they shoot in your shotgun.

25cschaefer

January 8, 2013, 02:46 AM

If you state allows rifles, that 357 max with solid bullets would stop a turkey without tearing it up.

R.W.Dale

January 8, 2013, 03:48 AM

If you state allows rifles, that 357 max with solid bullets would stop a turkey without tearing it up.

It doesn't unfortunately.

Shotguns only 10ga or smaller shot no larger than #2

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buck460XVR

January 8, 2013, 07:10 PM

Pick up some Winchester 2 3/4'' Pheasant loads in #5. All one really needs. Make sure he patterns his gun and good luck.

R.W.Dale

January 8, 2013, 07:16 PM

Pick up some Winchester 2 3/4'' Pheasant loads in #5. All one really needs. Make sure he patterns his gun and good luck.

I think that's what I'm gonna do.

I bought some Winchester low recoil low noise #8 target loads to introduce him to the gun. Then I'll use a game load for the gobbler. He's never gonna notice the different kick when he drops the hammer on a bird.

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jbkebert

January 8, 2013, 09:37 PM

My boys took their first turkeys using 20ga 2 3/4" copper plated #6 shot. I want to say they were federal pheasant loads. Recoil was not an issue and they patterned real well out of a Browning BPS youth 20ga using a modified choke. At 25 yards they worked out real well.

25cschaefer

January 8, 2013, 11:36 PM

I missed two turkeys with my H&R single shot 20ga, mod choke, from 20yds my first time out. I ended up shooting one in the head at 75yds with a 22-250; I never could hit anything with that derned single shot.

shaggy430

January 9, 2013, 09:00 AM

Pattern the gun yourself with turkey loads and have your kid practice with a light target load. When shooting at a turkey he will never feel the recoil.

courtgreene

January 9, 2013, 11:57 AM

he may not be aware of recoil when hunting, but he still feels it. His body is still smacked pretty hard, and that could do more damage than you're aware. I don't know the kid, or how big he is, but simply put, we hurt for a reason. It's our bodies telling us that a certain thing is not good for them. So, if he can't handle the turkey loads when practicing, don't give them to him to go hunting. Finding a load he can handle is the answer and I think you're on the right track there. Just make sure you determine the maximum distance of their usefulness and stay within that distance.

35 Whelen

January 10, 2013, 05:57 AM

In my experience, turkeys are one of those game animals that are way over-hyped with regards to what it takes to kill them. The last one I killed was with an old Fox B 16 ga. firing ordinary (non-buffered, non-plated shot) Winchester 1 1/8 oz. #4 loads.

Since you're talking about spring season where they'll be called in close, I'd find the lightest load with #4's or #6's and use that.

Several years ago a buddy of mine who lives in a rural area here in Texas had a gobbler outside his bathrrom window gobbling and strutting about. He slid the window open and whacked him with a 1 oz. #8 Dove and Quail load.

Doesn't take much when they're close.

35W

25cschaefer

January 10, 2013, 11:15 AM

It doesn't take much is right; when I was a kid (10yrs), a friend of mine whacked one in the head with a willow switch as we rode our bikes past a flock on a dirt road (Septemberish). It caved the things head in - jelly. My buddy tied its legs together and hung it from the handle bars; on the way back to his house a sheriff's deputy stopped and asked where we got the hen turkey. We told him what happened and he told us to stop hitting wildlife with sticks and let us go. We later got in trouble when his mom caught us behind the garage roasting on a spit (we were too close to the building). It was good eating as I remember.

urbaneruralite

January 13, 2013, 03:53 PM

If you confine yourself to inside thirty yards, a pheasant-type load of 7.5s will work and save some pain. Let him practice with light loads and make sure he knows how to hold it right without breaking his collar bone or busting his nose. Use the heavier loads you've patterned for the actual hunt. When the gobbler is out there he'll never feel the shot.

Also, don't be surprised if they've left that area when spring turkey season is open. Winter habit, spring habitat and nesting season habitat are not always the same spot. Good luck!

sixgunner455

January 14, 2013, 11:36 AM

Remington 1187 Youth in 20 guage. If that's not possible, then the lightest load he can manage in the 12, but ... man, *I* don't even like shooting a 12, and I weigh 200lbs.